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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24999877">Drunken Words are Sober Thoughts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/teacupmouse/pseuds/teacupmouse'>teacupmouse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drunken Confessions, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fluff, Hubert cannot handle his alcohol, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentioned Black Eagles Students (Fire Emblem), Minor Caspar von Bergliez/Linhardt von Hevring, Pining, Post-Black Eagles Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Self-Indulgent Ferdibert, alcohol use</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:15:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,700</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24999877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/teacupmouse/pseuds/teacupmouse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hubert drinks a little too much at a ball after the war and reflects on the feelings he holds for Ferdinand. </p><p>But he is quickly interrupted.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ferdinand von Aegir &amp; Hubert von Vestra, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>93</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Drunken Words are Sober Thoughts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The amount of noise at events such as these was just a little bit too loud for Hubert to actually enjoy himself. In fact, he would never attend any sort of event that involved large crowds of people and dancing if it weren’t for staying by the Emperor’s side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, somehow Hubert ended up in a quiet corner of the ballroom, where he could keep a watchful view of everything that was going on and tend to a glass of wine that had been thrust into his hands by an eager Caspar earlier that evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Loosen up! Let yourself celebrate a little!” He had been told before the short, blue-haired man disappeared into the crowd once again, likely to dance (obnoxiously) among the celebrating Imperial nobles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert sighed and looked down into his half-full glass before taking another, albeit slightly larger, sip than he had been before. If he were to be here, he might as well try and enjoy himself, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that thought, he took another sip, then another, and another after that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He carefully observed the room as he drank, though not paying as much attention to the pace of his drinking as he should have been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he watched, Hubert caught a glimpse of Caspar once again, who had managed to coax Linhardt away from one of the walls and onto the actual dance floor. He saw Edelgard, accompanied closely by the Professor, talking with some Imperial nobles he hardly recognized. Finally, Hubert's gaze shifted to Ferdinand, who was standing tall and proud, talking with Dorothea and Petra about something that he could not make out from this distance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His gaze stayed on Ferdinand for, but a moment too long, Hubert pulled his eyes away when he realized that he had caught Ferdinand's own eye and was met with a warm smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And now Hubert thinks he has had a little bit too much to drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How much was it again? A few glasses? He had never bothered to build up much of a tolerance for any sort of alcohol, considering he avoided social situations that involved drinking wherever possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert set down his now-empty wine glass and turned on his heel to leave the ballroom. He just needed a bit of air before going back in to clear his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Admittedly, things had been a bit weird for Hubert regarding Ferdinand since the end of the war. No, since the exchange of gifts back at the monastery, months before the battle against Seiros herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The memory of blushing faces and the passing of gifts was enough to make Hubert’s head spin in his current state. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert sighed at the thoughts and reached to pluck a rose from one of the surrounding bushes as he stood outside, leaning against the gates of the Hresvelg castle and closing his eyes for a moment. Soon enough, however, he was interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hubert! I was afraid I would not find you!” A familiar voice called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck. Not him, anyone but him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert opened his eyes and turned to see Ferdinand approaching him with the same friendly smile he was given earlier, and he felt his heart speed up a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ferdinand," Hubert greeted, a bit quieter than he usually would have, but offering his own small smile in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert couldn’t help but be thankful that their years of bickering and fighting were finally behind them, especially with them now working closer than ever to serve the Empire. Endless meetings and late nights spent together meant that they had no choice but to get along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But those days of bickering now seemed to be long behind them. In fact, the two of them had never been closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Two Jewels of the Empire, they had been called by some, and the right and left hands of the Emperor herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert was brought right back out of his thoughts when Ferdinand spoke, shaking his head to regain his bearings, but entirely missing what the other had said in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My apologies, what was that?" Hubert asked, shifting his gaze to the flower that was still in his hands, embarrassed by his lack of attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I said that I was looking for you," Ferdinand repeated with a laugh, "but clearly, your mind is elsewhere this evening. Are you meeting someone?" He asked, glancing at the rose that Hubert appeared fixated on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert shook his head quickly. “Oh, no. I just needed a bit of air,” he said before turning to look back at Ferdinand. “What is it that you needed me for?” He asked, raising a brow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ferdinand nodded his head, “Ah yes, events such as these are not something you enjoy,” he laughed softly, before pausing at Hubert’s question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well… there was no reason! I simply wanted to talk to my friend. Is there something wrong with that? Especially when that friend stands alone at an event for most of the evening.” He finally answered, though a bit defensively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shaking his head, Hubert laughed a bit louder than he probably should have. “No, nothing is wrong with that. But perhaps you shouldn’t call us friends so loudly with all of these important nobles around. We wouldn’t want to taint the perfect image of our Prime Minister, now would we?” He couldn’t help but tease, offering a smile that bordered on being sarcastic, but had a sense of familiarity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ferdinand huffed and ran a hand through his long hair. “You should know that I do not care about things like that by now, Hubert,” he said, slight exasperation in his voice. “Also, you seemed to be running away from something the moment I looked at you. Are you sure everything is alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert wondered if Ferdinand was indeed that unaware, or if he was mocking him before deciding that the other was much too kind to attempt mockery. He closed his eyes and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s you, idiot,” Hubert wanted to say, and perhaps drunkenly press his lips to Ferdinand’s own, a desire that Hubert has held since the beginnings of his friendship with the golden-haired man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted to kiss Ferdinand. A stupid desire, really, but there were so many things about the young Prime Minister that made Hubert have such thoughts. His lips looked so soft, and his eyes shone so brightly. He carried enough ambition for the entire Imperial army. He remained optimistic even in the face of the darkest times either of them had seen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert respected him, something that he could not say for many others, but rather than be colleagues, Hubert wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kiss </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. It was a desire he would have been disgusted by only five short years ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps he could indulge himself with these thoughts a little longer. Still, he opened his eyes to see Ferdinand's face not far ahead of him, looking at Hubert quizzically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hubert, are you alright?” Ferdinand asked, concern beginning to show on his face. “You seem a bit… distant,” he coaxed, reaching out to place a hand on Hubert’s arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding and straightening his posture, Hubert laughed sheepishly. “I believe I may have had a bit too much to drink,” he admitted. “I was allowing my thoughts to wander.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Raising his brows, Ferdinand shook his head with a small laugh. “Perhaps you should go and get some rest for the evening,” he suggested, unable to help but find amusement in Hubert’s words. “You will be of no use to the Emperor if you can not even keep track of your own thoughts,” he said, pulling his hand back from Hubert’s arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost immediately, Hubert shook his head. “Oh no, I must stay,” he insisted, “though the night could be a bit more bearable if you were to stay by my side for a bit longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oops, he probably shouldn’t have said that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ferdinand's cheeks immediately flushed pink, and he looked away from Hubert. "Oh! Well, I would hardly imagine so. We do very different things at these parties, you know," he said quietly, looking down at his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps so, my apologies then,” Hubert said, just as softly, pulling his own gaze from Ferdinand and back to the flower in his hand. “Though you are the one who wanted to come and talk with me,” he pointed out with a teasing laugh. “Maybe I have misread things, but you appear to want to talk to me just as much as I do you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert reached out in a moment of boldness and gently placed a hand on Ferdinand's cheek, causing the golden-haired man to look back at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hubert…?” It came out as more of a question. “I do not think you are quite thinking right now. Please do not worry, I will-” Ferdinand started, but was quickly cut off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hubert shook his head. "Please, just let me speak for a moment because I am afraid I will never have this chance to tell you again, but I… I believe I may have feelings for you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Staring at Hubert, Ferdinand's expression shifted from confused to bright. He offered a shy smile to the other and leaned into his hand. "You… do?" He asked with a small laugh. "I wish I would have known before, and I would have brought you a flower," he joked, reaching and placing a hand on Hubert's waist gently. "I accept and return your feelings!" He finally finished, his previously shy smile becoming a bit larger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do?” Hubert asked, running his thumb along Ferdinand’s cheek to make sure this was real. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be real. Letting the rose fall to the ground, he used his now-free hands to pull Ferdinand a bit closer to him. “Good,” he whispered, feeling the warmth of the other man’s body as a pair of arms wrapped around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ferdinand smiled, holding Hubert in his arms for a moment before releasing him from the embrace, entangling their fingers. “We… should discuss this again tomorrow, perhaps when you have not been drinking?” He suggested, getting a nod in response from Hubert.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I believe that would be for the best,” Hubert agreed, pulling back from Ferdinand and turning to head back into the castle. “Goodnight, Ferdinand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Hubert.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A big thank you to my dear friend Kasey for beta reading this for me and encouraging me to write! &lt;3</p><p>Follow me on twitter @peppermouze</p></blockquote></div></div>
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